Monthly Archives: November 2008

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Because of a scheduling conflict, the Mid-Valley quarterfinal between Paraclete and Northview of Covina has been switched from Friday to Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Covina District Stadium.

“It doesn’t bother me. I really don’t mind,” Paraclete coach Norm Dahlia said. “Obviously, we can go out Friday and scout other games. I am going to watch San Dimas-Rosemead, and we have someone else going to one of the other games.”

Just checked the weather report for the City Section quarterfinal Wednesday between San Fernando and host Taft, and the forecast in Woodland Hills calls for a 50 percent chance of rain and 47-degree temperatures.

In other words, could be a mud bowl, because as you should know, Taft is old-school — no artificial turf.

Two of the area’s top running backs go head to head Friday when Saugus, led by Ryan Zirbel, takes on visiting Thousand Oaks, led by John Lister, in a Northern quarterfinal at College of the Canyons.

Zirbel has rushed for 1,594 yards and scored 24 touchdowns, and Lister has rushed for 2,127 yards and scored 28 touchdowns.

Zirbel left with nine minutes remaining Friday because of a sprained ankle after rushing for 205 yards and scoring two touchdowns in a 29-17 victory over Righetti of Santa Maria. He’ll be fine, Saugus coach Jason Bornn said.

“Ryan will be ready to go. When you’re a high-performance machine, you recover a lot faster,” Bornn said. “He’s built for speed.”

Lister is coming off the game of his life, rushing for 325 yards on 39 carries and scoring five touchdowns in a 49-28 victory over Santa Barbara.

“Thousand Oaks has a Mack truck at tailback, and they’re athletic across the board,” Bornn said. “It’s going to be a fun game and a great way to spend the Friday after Thanksgiving.”

For the first time in coach Mike Herrington’s 20 years at Hart of Newhall, the Indians have failed to advance to the section quarterfinals or further after losing 34-21 at Atascadero on Friday in the first round of the Northern playoffs.

Herrington has won six titles at Hart, including five over a six-year period from 1998 to 2003, but the Indians finished just 5-6 this season – Herrington’s first losing season, including one year at Bellflower prior to arriving at Hart.

Thanksgiving practice has been a ritual at Hart, as a growing group of former teammates and out-of-town friends gather to say hello every year.

But not this season.

“I’m kind of numb. … It’s disappointing” Herrington said. “We had a disappointing season, but we’re going to come back and work hard and see what happens.”

Because of traffic (or perhaps a late start), Locke of L.A. didn’t arrive at Taft of Woodland Hills until a couple of minutes before kickoff Thursday in the first round of the City Championship playoffs.

The start was delayed 15 minutes as the Locke players scrambled to get ready, and it was no surprise the visitors made an early careless mistake, fumbling away the football on the second play of the game.

All-American prospect Malcolm Jones, a junior running back/linebacker for Oaks Christian of Westlake Village who has missed two games because of a shoulder injury, is probable Friday against visiting Pioneer Valley of Santa Maria in a Northwest quarterfinal.

“I anticipate Malcolm playing this week, but it’s not for sure,” Oaks Christian coach Bill Redell said. “He’s been cleared. It’s dependent on him and his pain tolerance.”

UNSUNG HERO
Trevor Smyth, LB, Valencia – Smyth, a sophomore, returned a fumble 69 yards for a TD and returned another fumble to the 2 in a 42-14 victory over Ventura.

TOP PERFORMANCES

Ryan Zirbel, RB, Saugus – Zirbel rushed for 205 yards – his fourth 200-yard performance of the season — in 16 carries, scoring on a 58-yard run and a 27-yard reception in a 29-17 victory over Righetti.

John Lister, RB, Thousand Oaks – Lister rushed for a career-high 325 yards on 39 carries and scored five TDs in a 49-28 victory over Santa Barbara.
James Flynn, WR, Notre Dame – Flynn had four receptions for 125 yards and three touchdowns of 48, 40 and 27 yards in a 42-0 victory over Compton.

James Flynn, WR, Notre Dame – Flynn had four receptions for 125 yards and three touchdowns of 48, 40 and 27 yards in a 42-0 victory over Compton.

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